1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to threaded rods and fasteners and, more particularly, to a threaded fastener configured for rapid engagement about a threaded rod at any position therealong.
2. Description of Related Art
Threaded rods and fasteners are commonly used to facilitate the suspension of signage, equipment, cable trays, and other items from a ceiling or other supporting structure. Typically, the item to be suspended is positioned such that the threaded rod extends through an engagement aperture of the item. The fastener is then threaded onto the rod from the free end of the rod and is moved into position adjacent the item to retain the item in a desired position relative to the rod. As can be appreciated, such a procedure is relatively quick in instances where the item is to be attached towards the free end of the rod. However, where the item is to be suspended further up on the rod, the user is required to thread the fastener onto the rod and rotate the fastener to move the fastener up the rod to the desired position. This is a slow and arduous process, particularly considering the cumulative effort required to suspend an item from multiple rods.
Various fasteners have been developed that obviate the need to engage and rotate the fastener relative to the rod to translate the fastener axially along the rod to the desired position. However, while many of these fasteners succeed in reducing the time and effort required to engage the fasteners about the rod at a desired position, it is often the case that this reduced time and effort comes at the price of reduced holding strength. As such, users needing to suspend heavier equipment or signage, cable trays supporting a plurality of cables therein, or other relatively heavy items, are relegated to the use of conventional fasteners.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a fastener that is configured for rapid engagement about a threaded rod at any axial position therealong and that provides a holding strength at least as great as the equivalent conventional fasteners.